Eternal love
by Ariane1126
Summary: Story is alot like midnight sun with some differences. It is mostly written from Edward and Alice's perspective. Alice and Bella's friendship is an important part of this story, just like the relationship between Edward and Bella.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or the characters from twilight.

Edward sighed wearily. Highschool was so predictable. For days now the minds of the students were filled with nothing but the new girl that was coming and today was no different. He couldn't care less, but he heard just like everybody else that the girl was supposed to be extremely smart. Her father had bragged about his daughter enough to make sure everybody knew that she aced every class in Phoenix. He went to class and concentrated on something else than the tiring thoughts of the young men around him. She was supposed to arrive today and the excitement was in the air. Many were asking themselves if she was good-looking and if they might fall in love with her. Edward sighed again, stupid boys, they should guard their hearts more wisely. Their boyish infatuations were irritating him immensely. He was far too old to be around them. He drowned out all their thoughts.

A few hours later he followed after Alice for lunch break when he let some of the thoughts of fellow students pass to him again. A wave of intensive thoughts hit him.

_Oh my God, she is so beautiful._

_Would it be strange if I stared at her for this whole break?_

_Is she an angel?_

_Is it too early to ask her out?_

One face was accompanied with all these thoughts and Edward saw the new girl for the first time and gasped. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her features had a fairness beyond human. He could understand that they thought she was an angel. Her beauty seemed surreal. He walked into the cafeteria and studied her immediately. He had already known where she was sitting, because he had seen it in the mind of several students. The mental pictures were not doing her credit. Through his own eyes she was even more beautiful. Her brown eyes had first looked normal, but he saw now that they held a hint of gold, which made them so exquisite.

He wondered for a moment why she was sitting all alone when all the boys in the room were dying to be beside her. He searched in the minds of those around him to understand that they found her intimidating and lost their courage the moment they came closer to her. Even though her beauty had astounded him for a moment, it was easier for him to put it beside him. He was used to beauty and he knew it meant nothing. He went to his seat and talked to Jasper about getting concert tickets for a band they both liked. Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett had not noticed the new girl yet and Edward didn't think they cared enough to notice, but Alice her thoughts surprised him.

_Why would she be sitting all alone? There are so many who clearly want to be her friend, but she seems to shy away from them. How strange. I don't know her, but I somehow feel worried about her._

He tried to seek the mind of the girl so he could know the answer but was surprised and irritated when he couldn't find her voice. Wasn't she thinking anything?

The dilemma was strong enough for Alice to check the future of the girl and Edward watched with her. He saw the girl and Alice arms around each other and bright smiles on both their faces. The picture was as clear as daylight and the loving smiles were obvious in their meaning. They were friends and she was going to love the girl. Alice broke in a smile and turned to the girl.

_A human friend, how cool! Hmm, should I?_

Edward wanted to stop her, but before he could she had already made up her mind and walked towards the girl. Jasper, Emmett and Rose gave her a surprised look. Edward followed with his mind.

'Hi, my name is Alice.'

The girl turned her eyes to Alice and smiled. The smile made her face even more beautiful, it was hard to look at.

'I am Bella.'

_She smiled to me and she doesn't seem to be afraid._

Alice took a chair and sat beside her. They began to talk about inconsequential things, but Edward was more interested in Alice her thoughts. She was astounded by something.

_How can this be? She smells incredible, the best I have ever smelled, but I don't feel any thirst, no burning, nothing. I don't understand._

Her surprise was shared by him. He had never heard of something like this before. He told his family in a speed human ears could not hear and they were just as surprised. They were going to talk with Carlisle about it. Alice and the girl were now talking amiably and Edward could understand how they would be friends. Alice had no trouble talking to her and the girl seemed to share this feeling. The only thing that could have held Alice back was thirst, but there was no thirst, so nothing stood in their way of becoming friends. He let them be. It was rude to intrude on their conversation and he concentrated on disposing his food. Jasper was still watching Alice intently.

_I should have stopped her. You can't be friends with a human, thirst or no thirst. Although, Alice never have listens to me. She is so free, but it is part of why I love her, so I can't really blame her for befriending the girl._

He smiled at Jasper's reasoning. It was true. Alice was a free spirit and she always did exactly what she thought was right, sometimes a little too impulsively. It was why Jasper was so right for her, he was her opposite, always thinking before acting. Jasper was right though, her open caring heart was a quality Edward loved her for just as Jasper did.

The next few days Alice was around Bella a lot and their relationship evolved quickly. It irritated many of the boys in school. Some of them even thought that they had the kind of relationship that made them chanceless. They were insanely jealous. When Edward saw how Alice threw an arm around her and Bella kissed her cheek in response, he knew that if he didn't know any better he would have believed they had something more. During lunch break Alice was staring adoringly at Bella. She was sitting alone, as usual and was obviously waiting for Alice to join her, sending other company away.

'I am going to sit with Bella.' She informed them curtly.

Rose sighed and Emmett shrugged. Jasper frowned.

'Don't give me that.' Alice said irritated. 'I love the girl and she is very interesting. You should all get to know her. Besides, it is such a relief to be rid of the thirst. Why don't you all come sit with her, I will introduce you.'

Edward was interested. He was intrigued by her silent mind and wouldn't pass up the opportunity to probe at her mind from close by and he wasn't the only one interested. The others had different reasons, but they all wanted to meet the girl, except for Rosalie, who was feeling some resentment towards the girl. Emmett wanted to meet her because he already somehow liked her, just as Alice had. Jasper was just very curious about the no thirst part. He was the one that had the most difficulty with controlling his never-ending thirst around humans.

'Great.' Emmett shouted, standing up.

Jasper followed and Edward was up at the same time. Rosalie was the last one and the most reluctant. With a chagrined look, she followed them to Bella's table. Edward sat down across from the girl after Alice had introduced them and let all his senses open up to her. Her smell intruded in his nose and his eyes were drawn to her face. He gasped aloud and his senses overwhelmed him. Her smell was so sweet and enchanting it dazzled him, but what overwhelmed him the most was the strange feelings that overpowered him the instant he looked into her eyes. He drowned in them.

She wasn't looking at him directly, which was a good thing because he didn't think he had survived that. Unfamiliar feelings were flooding his body and he began to tremble. Vampires didn't tremble, what was wrong with him? He tried to avert his eyes, but he was helpless. She had captured him completely and his feelings kept rushing over him like waves in the ocean. His breathing accelerated and with every breath, her scent took him in more. He was out of control, it was too much. He needed to stop, but it was beyond him.

'Emmett, I need help.' He whispered it through his teeth, so soft it was impossible to hear for human ears.

She didn't look up, still talking with Alice. He saw Emmett watch him concerned from the corners of his eyes. He almost dropped from his chair when Emmett gave him a push. If his senses weren't so obsessed with the girl in front of him, that never would have happened, the concern on Emmett's face deepened. It worked nonetheless, his body tensed to keep balance and the magic was slightly broken. He ripped his eyes from her face and got up. He almost ran from the room. He could feel her eyes upon his back. He couldn't help to watch her face through Alice and saw the shock on it. It hurt him so much that every fiber of his being wanted to turn around and take her in his arms. Was he crazy? He hardly knew her.

He kept walking, but the urges of his body and soul to be with her were so strong it took everything he had to walk outside and go sit in his car. Alone in his car he needed to breathe for a few seconds. Now that he was not around her anymore, he was more in control. He scanned the thoughts of his family around her. Alice was adoring her, like always, Emmett and Jasper were dazzled by her and Rose was jealous, of course, this girl had a beauty that was even beyond hers. He went to the nearby boys and their minds were filled with her face. He had not paid their thoughts much attention, but now he looked more closely. He went to the strongest picture of her face, it was in the mind of Mike Newton.

He examined very carefully the mind of this boy. Mike was swooning over her, filling his mind with fantasies. Imagining his lips on hers, his arms around her and his hands on the naked skin of her back. A wave of crushing anger and resentment filled his body and he first didn't understand why. He wanted to kill this boy, he was never letting him near her. He growled out of sick rage and was glad he was in his car alone. Mike Newton could have been in a life-threatening situation now. It took him a moment to understand that he was extremely jealous of a boy that was not even near her. He was really crazy. Now that he understood his feelings of jealousy, he felt another feeling. It was something he had never felt in his entire existence, a strange hunger. Before he knew what he was doing he was imagining his own hands on her skin, his mouth on her soft perfectly shaped lips, her body crushing against his chest and then…

He growled so loud his car was shaking. And then she dies. That realization was much, much more sickening than any jealousy he could feel. He banned the pictures out of his mind. He was a monster and he could never ever be close to her like that. He was no better than all the boys, who were swooning over her, he was worse. His infatuation was no less childish and a very dangerous mistake. He cursed himself, praying that he could get his feelings under control. Maybe he could get Alice to leave her alone, to let her stay in the human world, where she was safe. He went back to Alice's mind and saw that the adoration she held for the girl was so strong that he would never be able to convince her to break her friendship. She was very thick under Bella's spell and he understood exactly how that felt. He saw Bella's face through Alice's eyes and saw that she looked sad. Alice noticed.

_'What's wrong, Bella?'_

Worry was evident in her voice and Edward was surprised by the protectiveness of her thoughts. She wasn't just adored by the girl, she was also afraid for everything that could hurt the girl.

_'Your brother…' She hesitated. 'Doesn't he like me?'_

Agony. It was so strong he couldn't breathe again. He almost went back inside to assure her he liked her too much instead of too little. Alice was deliberating multiple answers, trying to pick the right one. She didn't know why he had left and what was wrong with him.

_'Did I do something wrong?'_ Her voice broke.

Alice knew how to answer that.

_'Absolutely not! Do not worry, sweetie. I'm sure there is something else. Everybody likes you.'_

She looked a little skeptical about that, but her pained face relaxed and Edward could let go some of his agony. He could breathe again.

Alice was looking in his future probably to understand what was wrong with him and he watched with her curiously. More than one future was possible.

She saw him desperately trying to stay away from Bella, she saw him standing in Bella's room watching over her while she slept and she saw him standing somewhere. The last picture was farther into the future and was less clear. He was in the forest in the meadow he knew well and he was not alone, but it was not clear who was with him. He deliberated for a moment and understood he had to stay away from her. She deserved better than him.

Maybe it was better if he left town for a few years. As soon as he considered it, he saw the image of himself staying in Alaska with the Denali's. It had turned in a possibility for the future. His soul immediately began to ache with the thought of leaving her and never seeing her again. The minutes he had stayed in his car alone were already agonizing and he was able to watch her face through Alice. If he left, would it kill him slowly? He was unsure. Maybe it was better to stay, to see if his infatuation for her would lessen, until he was able to be around her like a friend. It was worth a try.

When the break was over, Alice walked with Bella to class, but changed her mind about going and Edward knew why. He was not surprised when she opened the door to his car and sat down beside him. She studied him for a minute.

_You are falling for her, aren't you? Falling hard._

He nodded, he didn't trust his voice enough to speak.

_You shouldn't leave. It would hurt Esme and Carlisle._

'I know.' He answered, his voice barely above a whisper.

_Maybe it is meant to be, have you considered that?_

It almost made him angry. How could it be? What human girl could have deserved that fate? He would steal everything from her, her whole future.

'I don't think so.' His voice was strained.

'I know you don't, but consider this Edward. She is not afraid of us and she represses our thirst. If there was ever a human that could be relatively safe around us it would be her.' Alice spoke up now and her sweet voice filled the car.

He just shook his head, but knew he wouldn't leave, at least not yet. He needed to conquer this. He was not the running type. Alice checked his future again and he saw himself desperately trying to stay away from the girl again. Yes, he would do that and he would get over himself. What other choice was there.

_At least you are not leaving anymore._

Alice seemed content with that.

_I would miss you and so would the others._

She looked him straight in the eyes.

_Bella already means a lot to me, but not more than you do, not yet. If you would ask it of me, I would do it. You are my brother and I love you._

He knew that, but was still surprised by her sacrifice for him. It meant a lot to him, but he already knew he wasn't going to ask that of her. It would hurt him, not only because of Alice, but also because it would hurt Bella. Hurting Bella was something he could never purposely do.

'Thanks, but no thanks. She is lucky to have you as a friend.' His voice was still strained but sounded lighter. Alice had made him feel better.

_She would be even luckier if she had you._

Alice smiled at him, but she was wrong. He wanted her in ways that put her life in danger and that was inexcusable. The only thing that made this slightly bearable was that she at least wasn't attached to him. It was one thing for him to make himself miserable, but a whole other thing for her. Alice stayed with him in the car until the others joined them and he drove home. Bella was in all of their minds, with no exception.

The next few weeks Edward ignored her thoroughly. His family had set a new tradition of sitting at her table and he either sat as far away from her as he could or just skipped lunch completely, sitting in his car. Alice kept her from thinking it was her fault that he was so unsociable, so it was not hurting her. Edward on the other hand was hurting at an unbearable level. His life was now a torment. He physically stayed away from her but he couldn't help himself to follow her around through every mind that was available to him and instead of losing his interest she was gaining it. With every new piece of information he gathered about her he fell deeper.

She was good in body and soul and she was pure. So far he knew she couldn't lie, she was never unkind, she was trustworthy, selfless and she was caring. It were traits that inflamed his heart even more. Every inch of his soul was drenched in his love for her and he was no longer in danger of falling for her. He was already there. He wanted to know everything about her, but the only one that could get significant information from her was Alice. Bella was not unsocial, but more careful than normal humans. She didn't just let anybody in. Alice was the one person that had broken down her walls quickly. Although she seemed to like Emmett a lot, too. Emmett had quickly fallen under her spell and he was very fond of her. He called her his 'little one' and she was laughing with him a lot. It pained Edward more than he was willing to admit that two of his close family were having some kind of a relationship with her and he was not.

Another torment were the thoughts of other boys that were screaming out to him, impossible to ignore. Their little fantasies drove him crazy with jealousy and wakened his own desires more strongly each time he saw one of them. He had to stop himself from killing some of these boys, especially Mike Newton, each time they tried to talk to her or ask her out on a date. To his immense relief and pleasure she always turned them down. Her silent mind was turning his curiosity into levels of insanity and he wanted so badly to unlock the secrets of her mind, to understand what she was thinking. The only thing that kept him sane was the fact that she sometimes stared at him when she thought that nobody noticed. There was a strange interest in her eyes and she always blushed afterwards.

Six weeks passed while his torments went to new levels until he simply couldn't stand it anymore. The thing that pushed over the edge was of course Mike Newton. He was watching her through Angela Weber's mind in English class. She had the seat that had the best view on Bella and Angela had a kind soul, her thoughts were modest and sweet, when Mike walked towards Bella. Edward's body went rigid with rage immediately and he gripped the edge of his table to make sure he stayed in his seat. Angela watched them intently, so he could see and hear exactly what was happening.

_'Hi, Bella. How are you today?'_

She smiled to him and Edward gritted his teeth together. What would he give to have her smile to him like that.

_'Fine, and you?'_

Mike smiled back and a string of beautiful brown, with a glint of red, hair fell in front of her eyes. Edward was immediately completely obsessed by this and he was not the only one. Mike extended his hand and caressed the string out of her face. The rage and jealousy Edward felt were so intense he broke off a piece of his table without noticing. He was going to kill Mike Newton. There was no question about it, just the timing wasn't certain. The teacher noticed his rigid posture and asked him what was wrong, but he didn't respond. Emmett was sitting next to him and shook him, but he didn't respond.

'Eh Mr Varner, my brother isn't feeling well, can we be excused please?'

Emmett's voice was hardly reaching his brain and neither was his less than gentle grip when Emmett dragged him out of class.

_Get a grip on yourself, Edward._

He shoved him farther away from class.

_You are attracting too much attention._

Edward was finally able to get himself under control and walked away on his own now. But it was over. He couldn't do it. His attempt was lost, he couldn't stay away from the girl anymore, his resolve was destroyed by simple jealousy.

_Better?_

Not quite, but at least his murderous feelings were under control again. He would not hurt the boy anymore, although he wanted it very much. The only thing he wanted more was the girl and he knew that if he would hurt anybody he would put her out of his reach forever. She was already so far out of his reach, it was devastating, but at least there was still a chance, a chance he could be worthy of her affection.

Lunch break was coming up and he knew what he was going to do. He was going to sit next to her and talk to her. The thought alone made him warm with happiness. He was so impatient he walked to the cafeteria before it was time and took a seat on her table next to the seat she was normally sitting in, waiting for her to arrive. When she finally did together with Alice both their faces held surprise, but Bella regained her composure and sat down beside him.

_I will go sit on the other side of the table to give you two more room, I need to talk to Jasper anyway._

Alice winked at him and he smiled thankfully. Bella turned towards him and for a moment he was so dazzled by her closeness that he couldn't think. To his surprise she seemed equally at a loss of words, she just stared at him. What was she thinking? What did it mean? Maybe she disliked him and wondered how he could have the brutality to sit beside her without her permission.

'Uhm.' She obviously tried to gather her thoughts. 'You aren't ignoring me anymore?'

Apparently she hadn't been fooled by Alice's assurances that it wasn't about her. It hurt him.

'No and I am sorry I did that. It was very rude.' He said quickly.

He was amazed his voice sounded so normal, while he felt so many strong emotions.

'No worries, I am not that interesting anyway, so I understand.'

Edward almost laughed because of the irony. She was way too interesting for her own good.

'On the contrary, I find you very interesting.'

It was an understatement, but it was better not to scare her with the depth of his obsession for her. Confusion flowed over her face and he could understand how his words could confuse her. After all she couldn't know that he had obsessively followed her around school for each and every second in the last six weeks. He knew a lot about her, not nearly enough, but something and it suddenly hurt him that she didn't know him at all. He wanted her to know him and even more he wanted her to want to know him. Her eyes were still on his face and the depth in them amazed him. He could spent eternity staring into them. Her clear voice shook him out of his dream state.

'So what kind of music do you like, Edward?'

He marveled at the sound of his name coming from her mouth and because of the interest that clearly showed in her eyes. She wasn't just being polite.

'Classics mostly, like Debussy. I play the piano myself.'

She was impressed by this.

'Will you play for me some time, I love the sound of the piano.'

Her request filled his heart with pleasure. He would play forever if that made her happy.

'Of course, whenever you want.'

His answer obviously pleased her because she gave him a glowing smile, it dazzled him all over again.

'I am so glad that we can be friends, I was afraid you didn't like me.'

The word friend turned down his pleasure, it was better than nothing, but it was not nearly enough.

'I like you.' He said with a smile.

Another understatement so large he wished there was a word for super understatement. He actually loved her beyond words, but again better not to scare her with the depth of his feelings. He was controlling his emotions enough now, to be able to ask coherent questions and he kept them coming. He was very happy with every piece of information she gave him and with the fact that she was very willing to talk to him. She was just as open to him as she was with Alice, maybe even more so. She sometimes asked a question in return and listened to his answer with interest. His hope flared. She didn't seem to hold a grudge over his past behavior, maybe she even liked him. Lunch break was over before he knew it and he was never so unwilling to leave a place as he was now. To his surprise and joy he saw the same reluctance mirrored in her eyes. She hesitated when the others got up and Edward wanted to take the advantage, but he shouldn't. It was bad enough that he talked to her and he wouldn't make it worse by forcing her to miss class and stay with him.

'Can I walk you to class?' He asked carefully.

Her face dropped for the slightest moment, but recovered immediately. He didn't understand what it meant.

'I would like that.' She responded just as careful. 'I need to go the science building for physics.'

Edward couldn't help to smile. As if he didn't know her entire schedule by heart. He got up and she followed. He liked that. He wanted to follow her anywhere, but if that wasn't possible than he rather that she followed him. He walked beside her to class, asking her new questions and savoring every minute of it. Far too soon it was time to say goodbye. He watched her walk into class, knowing that this was going to make him late for his own class, not caring. She walked to Alice and sat beside her. Alice gave her an adoring smile and kissed her cheek, which made every boy in class grimace in jealousy. Edward laughed. He almost felt sorry for the boys, almost. He turned around and walked away slowly. Alice had asked him not to intrude on conversation she had with Bella and he had promised. That meant of course that he now really had to leave her. He couldn't spy on her through the minds of others. How to pass through the time, he sighed, bracing himself for hours of agony again.

* * *

'Hey there sweetie.' Alice said happy and she kissed her cheek, seeing Edward from the corners of her eyes.

She knew exactly what her brother was feeling and she felt sorry for him. When she met Jasper it was overwhelming, but she didn't have to deal with staying away and struggling against those feelings. She really hoped for a solution to this problem, one that would make them both happy. The girl beside her meant more to Alice than she would ever have thought possible. She was like a sister and a best friend in one and it was too late to turn away from her now. Alice loved her and Edward equally now and the girl gave her happiness.

Her family had given her happiness, Jazz had given her happiness, but there was always one thing missing and that was a friend, preferably a girl and now she was complete. Bella was the missing piece and they fitted together in every way. They were nothing alike, Bella was shy, while she was outgoing, Bella was smart and responsible, while she was impulsive, Bella didn't like attention, while she couldn't have enough of that, Bella was unselfish to the extreme, while she could be a little selfish. All these differences made their friendship perfect. Bella loosened up when she was around her, while Alice thought more about her actions. On the important stuff they were exactly alike. They were both kind, loving and caring.

Alice was a bit protective over her, like an older sister and she understood why. First she was a vampire and vampires were on the whole protective over the things they wanted. Second was that Bella was frail and her exquisite beauty and caring heart were too easy a target for bad people to take advantage off. Alice was immensely happy that she had been the one to get close to her from the beginning, to protect her from everybody that meant her harm. She watched Bella's future constantly and was always out to see if anything dangerous or hurtful was in her path.

To fend off the many boys that were irritating Bella, Alice had invented the intimate moments in public between them, but that had turned out better than intended. She loved their intimate way and the fact it kept the boys away was just a plus. The only thing that she couldn't fully protect Bella from was Edward and that was difficult on a whole other level. She loved Edward too and could feel his pain. She wanted to protect him as much as she wanted to protect Bella. It was a difficult dilemma and she was glad he had tried to talk to her today. Bella seemed happy about it. She remembered that Edward had promised to leave their conversations private, so she decided to investigate how Bella felt about this. The teacher was used to leaving them alone during the hour, so a whispered conversation was possible.

'How are you feeling?' Alice whispered.

'About what?' She countered.

Alice smiled, typically Bella to feign innocence on the subject.

'About Edward talking to you of course.' She answered impatient.

'I am glad. I was really worried he didn't like me, that I had done something to offend him.' She frowned, as if she still wasn't sure that wasn't the case.

'Bella, I told you many times that is not it. I am not lying to you!' Her voice was a little bit too hard for class and the teacher eyed them irritated. Alice hurried to apologize and was quiet for a moment, studying Bella's face. She seemed to believe her.

'So do you like him?' Alice whispered.

She had intended the question as an innocent one, using the word _like_ in a friendly way, but the blush that crept into Bella's cheeks gave the word a whole other meaning. Bella turned down her face, trying to hide her shame. Alice was astonished.

'You _like_ him?' She asked surprised, a little bit too loud again.

'Shhh.' Bella answered frantic and her blush deepened.

Alice composed herself.

'Since when?'

Bella was very still, not moving an inch and Alice understood that she was deliberating to deny the whole thing or just give in.

'Too late to deny it, Bella. Your face gives you away.'

Bella sighed exasperated.

'Fine! I like him a lot from the very beginning.'

Alice was even more shocked by this revelation. Alice knew that Bella was very guarded about her own feelings, but how could she have missed this? Bella hadn't given any signs. Could she really be in love with Edward from the beginning without giving away one ounce of her suffering? Because suffering was what she was doing if this was true. Edward had ignored her quite rudely. Alice studied her face again and saw the truth in there. She did like Edward, perhaps she was even in love with him. The depth of feelings in Bella's face amazed her. Bella looked up and gave her a pleading look.

'Please don't tell him.' Her voice was frantic. 'He obviously doesn't feel the same way, not that I blame him and I wouldn't want to drive him away from me again, now that he is finally talking to me.'

Alice had to blink a few times because of this. It was beyond ridiculous. She believed he didn't like her, while he loved her so deeply and obsessively that he couldn't stay away from her against his better judgment. She ached to run off to Edward immediately and tell him exactly what she had learned or stay here and tell Bella that he loved her more than anything, but she was tied by both of them. She knew she couldn't tell Edward since this was a private conversation between her and her best friend and she knew she couldn't tell Bella since Edward would rip her head off. He was still somewhat trying to stay away from her and wouldn't appreciate it if Alice forced his hand. She wondered how two very intuitive persons could be so blind to each others feelings. It was so frustrating she could scream.

'Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me.' Alice promised and she saw Bella relax.

It would be quite difficult to not remember this conversation around Edward, but she was going to do her best. The confidence in their friendship was important to her.

'What did you mean by 'not that I blame him'?' Alice asked irritated.

The one thing that was immensely frustrating to Alice was that Bella didn't seem to see her own perfection. Her modesty was beyond extreme.

'Well, look at me!' She nearly shouted it, composing her voice only to avoid detection. 'I am absolutely ordinary, especially next to him. I could never hope to gain his interest.'

Alice gritted her teeth in frustration. The way this girl saw herself was ludicrous. Maybe she ought to be admitted in an institution for the mentally ill until she saw herself clearly.

'Bella, listen to me.' Alice pressed and she did. 'You are the opposite of ordinary. Every boy in this room wants to go out with you, believe me.'

Bella blushed.

'Be serious.' She whispered.

'Oh but I am. If you don't believe me, I will go ask every boy right now and you can see for yourself.'

She blushed a deeper shade of red.

'Don't do that. Maybe they really expect me to go out with them after that and then I have to sit through very irritating evenings.'

Alice couldn't help to laugh.

'You are right, you would make their year and would have to go out with them, otherwise they would be devastatingly disappointed. I will not put you through that, but prom is coming up in a month and I am going to count the number of invitations you will get as prove to my point.'

Bella grimaced.

'Oh no, not prom.' She was aggravated.

'Yes prom and you are going.' Alice promised her.

'I am not.' She retorted. 'And most certainly not with a date.'

'What if Edward asked you? Would you say no to him?'

Bella blushed again. Alice knew from her face that she wouldn't turn Edward down and she smiled. If only she could get Edward to ask Bella to prom, without letting him know how she felt.

'Probably not.' Bella admitted. 'But he is not going to ask me, so it is a moot point.'

Bella seemed certain of that and was relaxed again, now that she had an excuse for not going to the prom. Alice would see about that. She was already secretly picking out a dress for Bella that highlighted her beauty in all the right ways, not that she needed it. The picture formed in her head of Bella in this dress was overwhelming. Nobody would be able to look at anything besides Bella. She could already see the shock on the boys faces and laughed. Bella was never trying to be beautiful and was still exactly that. Imagine what would happen if she actually tried.

Alice liked dresses, proms and parties and she liked seeing Bella in a beautiful dress. She was going to do her very best to make sure that Bella was going to prom one way or the other. Alice smiled, because she so often got her way. She checked the future and saw Bella with her at prom in indeed the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. This was going to work out perfectly. At the end of class, Mike Newton walked towards them. She quickly watched the future to see what he wanted and saw that he would be the first. Alice could have make Bella leave before he got a chance, but where was the fun in that.

'Bella, can I ask you something?' The boy said carefully, inhaling deeply.

Bella gave him a smile, kind as always, but Alice saw the irritation beyond it, Bella knew what was coming.

'Will you go to prom to me?' The words came out quickly and Alice smiled. The boy had come in a perfect time to prove her point. Bella sighed.

'I am sorry, Mike, but I don't think that is a good idea.'

The boy was beyond disappointment.

'Why?' His tone was a bit rude and Alice didn't like that.

'Mike, are you blind?' Bella asked, he clearly didn't understand. 'Jessica likes you and she would be very hurt if you took me instead of her.'

Alice was smiling broadly now. Bella saw everything, although Jessica's feelings for Mike were quite obvious. Mike clearly had no idea of this and he was considering it now.

'So you really should ask her. She is so much better for you than I am, believe me. I am probably not even going.'

Mike was dazzled by her voice and Jessica was out of his head again, but Alice somehow saw that she was winning this. He wasn't going to press the issue. The bell sounded and she walked away, leaving Mike behind speechless.

'That is one.' Alice muttered and Bella gave her an annoyed look.

Alice was amazed that for a very intuitive person she could not see that Edward spoke her name with a caress, that Edward looked at her with an obsessive adored look, that Edward hung on every word she spoke. It was so obvious and yet she did not see. She was shocked out of her pondering when Emmett met them in the hallway throwing his arms around both of them.

'Hey there, how are my two favorite girls, after Rose of course.'

This gesture earned him a lot of angry looks from several boys in the hallway, even though they all knew he was with Rosalie. Bella smiled, she liked Emmett a lot.

'Hey Em.' Bella answered. She called him this from the very beginning and it always pleased Emmett. 'I am fine and you?'

'Bored, I wish something exciting would happen.'

Bella laughed, just like Alice. Emmett was always bored quickly and he was always wishing for something exciting. Of course Bella didn't know that something exciting was in this case angry vampires he could fight or big bears he could kill for lunch. She wondered how long they could keep their secret from Bella. Alice knew she was suspecting and she was very smart, but they were trained in the human charade for many decades now, so they ought to keep the secret a little while longer. Bella also didn't really seem to care and Alice wondered why. Emmett wasn't really the careful one and he sometimes let things slip, but Bella never questioned him for more information.

'Are we hiking this weekend?' Emmett asked hopefully.

'Yes, it will be sunny.' Alice answered.

She had seen this quite clearly and like always they made themselves scarce the moment the sun was out. Bella was disappointed by this, but she didn't ask for an invitation. Alice knew better, Bella would never force her company on anyone. It hurt her nonetheless that she couldn't invite the girl, she couldn't stand the thought of Bella being by herself for several days. The need for secrecy was not easy for Alice and she was happy Bella didn't press for information, so she didn't have to lie to her.

'Great!' Emmett was happier immediately. 'I say we go out of state this time.'

This disappointed Bella even more and Alice knew why. It meant they would be gone longer. Alice tried to get the attention on something else.

'You know who asked Bella to prom today?' Alice said to Emmett.

'Ugh.' Bella groaned and Emmett laughed.

'Already, prom is a month away. Oh well, it was to be expected. I feel sorry for you, since you will only have like at least a hundred invitations left to come.' Emmett chuckled at Bella's frustration.

As if it was not a coincidence, but a set up plan from Emmett and Alice, Alice saw a boy coming toward them. How the boy had come up with the courage to walk towards Bella while two very intimidating vampires hovered around her was beyond Alice. Bella was perhaps just too high a price.

'Eh Bella,' Erik Yorkie stuttered. 'Can I maybe talk to you alone?'

Emmett laughed again and pulled Alice with him to stand a few meters away. Bella gave them a sour look. Alice could hear clearly how Erik asked her to prom and how Bella declined him just as softly as she did Mike. She didn't show any of her irritation and Alice was amazed by the enormity of her kindness. When Bella joined them again she sighed deeply. Emmett ruffled her hair, clearly feeling sorry for her now.

'Maybe it is best if you just accept one of them.' He smiled again. 'We could hang posters everywhere, with very big letters on them saying: Bella is already going to prom with ….. At least the rest will leave you alone and you could always come up with an excuse on the last second, like a sprayed ankle.'

Emmett was laughing hard, enjoying his own joke. Bella grimaced and Alice knew she would never do that. She would never give a boy hope and than plummet that hope, she was too good. Alice wished Edward saw Bella now. He might ask her to prom out of the urge to protect her from irritation and out of jealousy, but Edward was nowhere in sight.

Emmett had arrived to his next class and left them. Alice had a free period, but Bella had English literature. Alice saw that she was hesitating.

'What is it?' Alice asked.

'I don't feel like going. I already practically graduated in English literature and have read all the books they could give me, so it isn't really interesting for me anymore. Do you mind if I join you in your free period?'

Alice most certainly did not mind, it even made her day. The free period was usually boring.

'Sure! Let's go for a walk.'

Bella nodded and they walked into the woods together. It wasn't raining and the temperature was bearable, so that actually meant that it was a nice weather day in Forks. They found a nice patch of green dry grass and sat down, enjoying the fresh forest air. Alice saw her thoughtful expression.

'I wonder.' Alice began. 'Do you think we are strange, Bella? Me and my family? Or different?'

Bella wasn't surprised or shocked by this question. She just shrugged.

'You are different, but what does it matter. You are my friends and you are kind, that is all I care about.'

Alice was happy about her loving tone. She clearly meant what she was saying.

'But aren't you curious about what is different about us?'

Bella thought for a moment.

'I know more than you think, or at least I think I know more, but I never pressed the secret out of you. I just guessed that if you are ready for me to know you will tell me. I trust you enough to understand that you do not keep this secret without a good reason.'

Alice was totally amazed, although she shouldn't have been, knowing Bella so completely now. There was no boundary to the pureness of her soul.

'We trust you too, Bella. We keep our secret because it can be very dangerous for you to know. I would do anything to keep you from danger.'

Bella nodded.

'Don't worry Alice. I am more than content with the part of you that you can share with me and I know you want to share everything.'

'I do.' Alice hesitated. 'Will you tell me what you know?'

'Your skin is colder than a normal human skin. You never eat or drink anything. You are wise beyond your age and your eyes change color.' She smiled reassuringly to Alice. 'And I don't think I want to know what you are really doing this weekend.'

That last statement surprised Alice.

'What do you mean by that?'

'Well, if it was something normal, like hiking, I am fairly sure you would have invited me to come along, so it has to be related to your secret and since Emmett is so excited about it, it probably has something to do with violence.'

Oh, how perceptive Bella could be. She was so close to the truth.

'But don't be afraid, Alice. The only conclusion I came up with so far is that you are not human, but what you are then, I cannot even guess.'

Alice was shocked by her not human comment, but recovered. It was obvious that they weren't human for anyone that spent enough time with them and Bella certainly had enough time. It was logical that she had come to this conclusion. As long as she didn't know that they were actually bloodsucking monsters, it was okay.

'Thanks for sharing this with me, sweetie. It hurts me a lot that I cannot tell you more, believe me.'

Bella watched her face intently.

'You are special, aren't you?' Her voice was sweet. 'You have a gift?'

Yes, Bella was way too perceptive. Alice nodded softly. She simply couldn't lie to the girl, but she couldn't tell more. Telling her that she could see the future, would bring her too close to the truth. Bella saw the reluctance in her face and she didn't press for more. Alice gladly changed the subject to distract her, talking the whole time about the prom dress she was going to pick for Bella, which like expected annoyed Bella enough to forget about Alice and her gift.

* * *

Edward was waiting for the others at the end of the day in his car. He had found Bella and was following her through the mind of Angela. The girl was the only human friend Bella had and Edward was grateful for that. Angela was kind and she looked up to Bella in a non-obsessive way. They were talking cheerfully, happy the school day had ended and were walking towards the parking lot. They walked passed his car without looking and it disappointed Edward. He sighed and stepped out of his car to watch them. They said goodbye next to Bella's car and Bella searched for her keys.

_She is not gone yet and she is alone. Now is my chance._

Edward twisted his head in the direction of the thoughts with lightning speed. Tyler walked towards Bella. Edward braced himself, feeling the familiar rage and jealousy. He needed to stay calm.

_Mike told me he asked but she said she wasn't going, but maybe she was just letting him down easy. Yes, knowing her that is probably the case. I still have a chance._

Edward bit back a growl at the obnoxious thoughts of the boy. How dare he think he knew her? He hadn't followed her, trying to find out everything about her. He gritted his teeth when Edward realized he shouldn't be proud of this fact. Still, this boy knew nothing about her. He had constructed a picture in his head of her and did nothing to find out the real Bella. Just like all the others had. Tyler was now close to Bella, who was still searching for her keys and he cleared his troth. Edward had to use his last bit of self-control to not push Tyler out of the way and claim the girl as his. He had no right to claim this girl, even less right Tyler had. She was too good for all of them. He could hear their conversation easily.

'Hey Bella.' Tyler was very relaxed. 'How was your day?'

'Fine, Tyler, thanks.'

Edward flinched at the fact that she knew this boy's name, while she had never spoken to him before. Maybe this was the boy she wanted. It hurt him so much he had to take a deep breath to calm his feelings.

'I was wondering if you like to go to prom with me.'

A new wave of jealousy rushed his feelings and he was glad that Alice and Emmett had arrived and were eyeing him with concern. Emmett looked around and spotted Bella.

_Ah, I see._

Emmett grabbed his arm, just in case he couldn't control himself anymore. Alice caressed his cheek to calm him and it worked.

'I am sorry Tyler, but I am not going.' Bella's voice held a hint of irritation and she sighed. Edward relaxed a bit, but his rush of feelings kept him from feeling relieved.

'Yes, Mike said that.'

'Then why?' Irritation was more clear in her voice now.

Tyler shrugged.

'You can't win if you don't try, can you.'

_If I could win her, all my friends would marvel. They would think I was the king._

Edward growled aloud now and Emmett shoved him.

_Careful bro!_

He wanted to hurt Tyler more than anything. The boy was using the girl he loved more than anything as a popularity price. But what bothered him the most was that Tyler had thought of winning the girl in combination with taking her. Tyler saw himself bragging to everyone he could talk to that he had shared her bed with no regards to the reputation of the girl. He was selfish beyond words and his malicious plan bothered Edward so much that he could hardly repress his murderous instincts. He was glad for Emmett's restraining hands, which were truly holding him back now.

'Is there something else, Tyler.' Bella asked, impatient to leave.

'Well, would you like to go out with me on another day?'

Bella was clearly very tired of this whole game and she was wavering. He could almost see her think; if she gave in once maybe the rest would leave her alone. Edward couldn't handle it.

'Alice, protect her please.' He pleaded.

_Does the boy mean her harm?_

Alice was surprised. She had thought it was just jealousy that made him so angry.

'Yes!' He spoke quickly.

She quickly checked the future and saw multiple ones. One where Bella turned him down right now, the most probable one and one where she went out with Tyler and he tried to force himself on her. Her tearstained face was very clear in that vision and Alice gasped together with Edward. Without thinking twice she rushed to Bella's side, pulling her in an embrace.

'Bella, sweetie, how much do you love me?'

The question was clearly meant to get rid off Tyler and it worked. Tyler looked irritated at the two girls, but Bella seemed relieved.

'More than I can put in words, Alice.' Bella answered eagerly.

Tyler was so irritated now that he turned around and left and Edward could breathe again, but the image of Bella with her tearstained face while she turned down Tyler lingered in his head. It would have been this weekend when he was gone from Forks to hunt with the rest of his family. How could he leave now? Every fiber of his being ached to make sure she was safe, not only when he was around her, but every second of every day. He shuttered at the thought what could happen to her when he wasn't around to save her.

'Thanks Alice, I owe you one.' Bella said grateful.

'Hardly, it was nothing. Maybe we should come up with a sign when you don't want to go out with the boy, so I can help you in the future.' Alice laughed.

'That's is not a bad idea.' Bella smiled. 'But maybe it is easier to come up with a sign when I do want to go out with the boy, since that is a lot less likely.'

They both laughed.

'If I wink at you, I do want to go out with the boy, okay.'

'Understood.' Alice said. 'See you later, sweetie.'

Bella kissed her cheek this time.

'See you.'

Bella got in her car and drove away. Edward stared after her, while Alice joined him.

_We have to be more careful, she is just so easily hurt._

Alice's thoughts were full of concern and she remembered the vision of Bella's pain.

'I know. I can't leave with you this weekend.' His voice was strained with the lingering emotions.

Emmett was shocked.

'You have to. We haven't hunted for awhile and the sun will be out.'

_Emmett is right Edward. You have to leave. I will talk to Bella and make her promise to be careful. I will constantly watch her future, she will be in no danger._

Rose and Jasper had joined them and they were ready to go. Edward got in his car and drove away quickly.

'What is with the dark mood?' Rose asked.

Emmett chuckled, still not fully grasping the danger Bella had been in.

'Bella has been asked to the prom by several boys.'

Rose sighed.

_Idiot!_

It didn't bother Edward. All he could care about was the girl. Alice was seeing multiple faces in her mind now and Edward could only guess that these were the other boys that had asked Bella. He groaned in jealousy, but felt a little bit of hope when he heard her absolute refusals of the boys invitations in Alice her head. Alice eyed him carefully. It was almost as if she remembered on purpose Bella's refusals in such detail. It made the hope bigger. Then she remembered Emmett's proposal of just accepting one of the invitations to get the others of her back and Edward growled. Alice smiled.

_Maybe you should invite her Edward. It would be the best protection from all the others._

Edward considered that. It would help her a lot. He could be quite intimidating and he didn't think the other boys would dare to harass her anymore when it was known he was taking her. He laid this protection against the protection of her life colliding with his. Both were equally unappealing, but he wanted her so badly. The excuse that she would not suffer from unwelcome attention and obnoxious boys like Tyler were driving him very much into giving in.

Suddenly he realized that he was being prematurely positive. Nothing of this mattered if she didn't like him. Why should she want to go out with him? He had been nothing but unpleasant to her. Oh, he was so arrogant. As soon as he had dropped his family home he turned around and ran back to town. He needed to find her. He needed to make sure she was safe. It was not difficult to find her house. Her magical scent let him there easy. Her father was not home yet and he snarled. How could he know if she was safe at home when he had nobody to watch her through. Oh how he wished he could hear her thoughts.

He made a circle around her house and found her in the garden. He was so relieved, he could laugh, thankful that she had left the house. From a distance he studied her. She was lying in the grass, reading a book. With his senses he found that she was perfectly fine. He wished he could get closer, so he could be sure, but it was too risky. He could see that she was reading Sense and Sensibility from Jane Austen. He chuckled, a fan of the classics. She was absolutely absorbed in the book and it was so fascinating to watch her. Sometimes she laughed aloud or chuckled. Sometimes she frowned or shook her head when she apparently disagreed with the decision of the personalities in the book. It was mesmerizing and Edward wondered if there was a limit to his fascination for her. She didn't look up once, enjoying her quiet time, until her father came home. She sighed and got up, closing the book. She went inside and Edward quickly went to the mind of her father to follow her.

'Hey dad.' She walked to him and kissed his cheek. 'How was your day?'

'Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I have put it in the oven an hour ago.'

'Thanks Bells.'

Adoration was clear in his voice. The love Charlie felt for her was overwhelmingly strong. He was never going to let her get hurt. Edward smiled, he knew exactly how Charlie felt. They ate in comfortable companionship, talking about work and school. Charlie saw the irritation in Bella's face when he asked about prom.

_'Are you going?'_

_'I wish everybody would just forget about prom. I can't believe I have to go through this crap for another month. Really, isn't there anything more interesting in this small town.'_

Edward laughed about her misconception. It was not prom that gained the interest of all the boys, but Bella and the opportunity prom gave to them. She was so blind about her own appeal.

_'Well, you can't blame the boys for trying. You always look so beautiful. If I look at you, I can't believe that you are my daughter.'_

Bella smiled.

_'You are very handsome, dad.'_

Edward shook his head in the exact same way as Charlie did. Bella just couldn't understand.

_She doesn't __see. How handsome I am or not, I would never have even one percent of her beauty, nobody does. Will she ever see?_

Charlie wondered the same thing Edward did.

_Maybe I shouldn't want her to see. It is part of her charm. She is so modest. Hmm, no she should definitely be made to see, at least a little. This blindness is beyond ridiculous._

Edward agreed with him wholeheartedly. If he could, he would make it his personal mission to make her see exactly how perfect she was.

_I will try, but maybe it should come from a more objective source. I am her father, so she will believe it is because of that. If there will be a day that she will fall in love with a boy, he will maybe make her see. There is no question the boy will fall for her, who wouldn't, but her heart is so closed down. No boy catches her attention._

There was a pause in his thoughts. Edward could hardly admit to himself that he hoped that day would never happen, except if it was him.

_I shouldn't worry. It is early, she is only seventeen. I should be glad that boys are not on her mind yet and I am not sure that any boy would be worthy enough to deserve her attention. She is so perfect, every boy__'s dream come true._

Charlie let go of the issue, content that it wasn't something he should resolve anytime soon. They talked awhile longer, until Charlie went to the couch to watch a game on tv and Bella went upstairs in her room. Edward groaned in frustration, he couldn't see her there. He waited a long while, until Charlie went to bed, sleeping soundly. He tried his very best, but still couldn't control the urge to watch her sleep. He remembered the vision Alice had in the beginning, seeing him standing next to Bella's sleeping form and knew that the vision was coming true. He just couldn't stay away from her. He jumped up to her window and peeked inside. He saw her form, moving restlessly. Was she having a nightmare? He pushed open the window and climbed in. Slowly he walked closer. She was moving a lot, pushing the quilt of her.

'No, I don't want to go with you.' She mumbled.

She talked in her sleep? Curiosity flared inside him. Was he finally getting some of her thoughts? It made him happier than he could imagine, if it wasn't for the worry that she was sleeping so restlessly. He wished he could find some way to comfort her without waking her up.

'Please just leave me alone.'

The words were strong. He studied her unable to help her until her dreams finally settled down. She was trembling, because most of her blankets were on the floor now. At least he could help her with that. Very carefully he picked up her blankets and pulled them over her. She sighed and relaxed. The calm and peace on her face were so perfect, he could watch her forever. It made him happy, but also very sad. The gape between them was so large it was devastating. How could he ever be good enough for this girl? His hopes had plummeted and he knew that he should leave her alone again. As her father had said; no normal human boy was worthy enough, so he was most definitely not good enough. He was a monster. He felt his heart break in a thousand pieces.

'Edward.' Her voice was so clear, he was afraid she had woken up.

She turned around and he saw her eyes closed.

'Edward.' Her voice was stronger. 'Please, don't stop talking to me again.'

His breath caught in his troth and the emotions he felt overwhelmed him. She was dreaming of him and she didn't want him to stop. Could a broken heart be whole again? His heart felt better than whole. All his emotions of love, care and happiness flowed over him and he knew he would never be the same again. He would never stop loving this sweet girl. All his priorities shoved down one level to make room for this incredible girl on the top. Her safety, her wellness and her happiness would be his first concern for the rest of his limitless existence.

'Edward, don't go.'

Her voice was not more than a whisper, but the plea in there was obvious. She cared for him. He felt another urge of overwhelming love and knew he wouldn't be able to leave now. He knew she never cared as much for him as he cared about her, but that was exactly right. It was already so much more than he deserved. Her sleep remained peaceful and before dawn broke he left. He knew the short time he was leaving her would be unbearable for him, but it was necessary. He pulled himself together and ran home. He changed into new clothes and met the rest. They were all busy getting ready for the hunting trip this weekend. Carlisle eyed him carefully.

_Something changed Edward?_

He nodded.

_You look hopeful._

He wondered if that was how he felt and agreed that it was close enough. Carlisle liked Bella a lot and had many interesting conversations with her when Alice brought her to the house, but he had been sad that Edward was so depressed, just like Esme. They hoped his tragic love story would have a happy ending and he never believed it until now. Maybe he could be with her, if he was extremely careful. He would watch his every move and would not make any mistakes. Alice was looking into Jasper's future for a change and not concentrated on Bella. Jasper was deciding what gift to give Alice for their anniversary, but was changing his mind constantly on purpose so it would be a surprise. Alice was concentrating very hard and had already a good grasp at his ultimate decision. Edward laughed. His family could be such a happy distraction from his agony.

'It is a lost cause, Jazz.' He said grinning.

Alice gave him a beaming look and Jasper growled disappointed. They went to school not long after and Edward couldn't wait to see Bella again. All the way to school he thought of methods to get her attention. They arrived early and Bella's truck wasn't there yet. The others went inside but he waited impatiently in the parking lot. He was glad when he finally heard the sound of her truck. She did not see him when she got out of her truck and locked it. He wondered again how he should approach her and she made it all too easy. She dropped her keys. In a blink of an eye he was at her side picking up her keys. She was startled when he was beside her so abruptly, but recovered fast.

'Hi.' He said softly, dropping the keys in her hand.

'Hi.' She answered with a beaming smile that made him breathe faster. 'You are still talking to me.'

The relief in her voice made him smile.

'Can I walk you to class?' He asked polite.

'Of course.' She answered.

His heart filled with hope again. She said 'yes' to him. He watched the jealous looks he got from the boys nearby and smiled. He remembered the book she was reading yesterday.

'Do you like classic books, Bella?' Did she notice the way his voice spoke her name like a caress?

'I do. I simply love Jane Austen. My father finds it very funny that I keep reading her books over and over again, but how can anyone resist. She was so smart for her time. Her characters love each other for love and not for money and convenience. It is so rare to think in that way in that time.'

It was the longest speech she had made to him and he hung on every word, mesmerized by her interest in the writer. He was happy he had read all of Jane Austen's books himself.

'The women in her books are so strong and self-sufficient. She places a woman equal to a man and she sees that the worth of a person is not defined by her status and birth but by her actions. I agree with her of course.'

Edward followed her logic with interest. He already knew she had infallible ethics but it was nice to know who her inspirations were. He could see that she liked the fact that Jane Austen had placed a woman equal to a man and he chuckled. She didn't understand, she stood far above any man he could think of. Only Carlisle came near her and he had more than two hundred years to perfect his ethics and empathy, she only had seventeen years.

'What do you think?' He was startled by her sudden question for his opinion, he searched for a right answer.

'I agree with you.' He began. 'Jane Austen was very ahead of her time and she understood human nature better than others. She tried to create a world that was less harsh than her own and she succeeded and inspired many with her gift.'

He studied her expression and saw her smile. His answer had been right, he was marveling. They had arrived to her classroom and Edward sighed. He said goodbye to her and turned around, difficult as it was for him. He would see her again during lunch break. The promise of this was the only thing that could make him leave. He took in her scent before she left him and hoped it would linger around him as long as possible. As soon as he had left, he saw through the mind of Bella's teacher that two boys had cornered her in class and were both asking her to prom.

He froze in mid-step and deliberated if he should turn around. The teacher helped her though and he was very grateful. The teacher send the boys away and Bella was free to go to her seat. Her face was painful, though and Edward couldn't stand it. He made a decision in that instant. He was going to ask her to prom and he was going to spread the rumor as fast as possible to make sure she was free of harassment. He followed her around in minds close to her until lunch break, leaving her alone only when she was with Alice. He was back in the cafeteria early waiting for her, just like yesterday. She joined him with a smile and he perceived this as another yes. Bella was also early and Edward guessed she was avoiding anymore boys and he chuckled. She stared at him curiously.

'Bella,' Her name rolled of his tong with all his love for her in his voice. 'I know that you have heard this question too many times these two days and I apologize on forehand for this, but would you consider going to prom with me?'

Her mouth fell open in astonishment and she was struggling to find her voice.

'If you don't want to, I totally understand, do not be afraid. It will not interfere with our friendship.'

He waited anxiously for her answer.

'Is this a joke?' She asked, unbelieving.

'Most certainly not.' He assured her.

He was very sorry, she must have taking the worst meaning in his behavior before.

She was silent again and Edward was frustrated. What was she thinking? He lost his patience.

'Will you go to prom with me?' He asked directly again.

She nodded breathlessly. Another 'yes' and not on an inconsequential matter. He had a date with the girl of his dreams. He couldn't be happier.

'Thank you.' He said happy.

She raised her eyebrows incredulous, but he just smiled at her. Her gaze locked with his and he drowned in her eyes again. The depth of them amazed him and he saw the pure spots of gold that made her eyes so special. He saw that he was not the only one that had trouble letting go. Her breathing had stopped and her heartbeat had accelerated. Was she afraid? Or was it something else? He broke off his gaze, when Alice and the rest joined them.

_You asked her to prom! Good for you, I am really happy._

Alice was happy and smiling. Emmett was ignorant of the whole thing and Jasper just could feel in the atmosphere that something had changed.

_I will spread the good news as fast as possible._

She was thinking of Bella's beautiful prom dress again, but stopped when she saw Edward's mesmerized look.

_Don't peek. I want her dress to be a surprise!_

Alice gave him a chastised look.

'Sorry.' He murmured to her. 'Couldn't help myself.'

They talked and had fun together during lunch break and Edward could see how well Bella fitted with his family, even Rosalie was not resistant to the girl's charm. Her liking of the girl had won over her feelings of jealousy and she joined the conversation with pleasure now. Bella had made them all happier and he wondered if Alice had been right all along. Maybe Bella was meant to be with him and his family. This idea pleased him very much. He took a deep breath to reign in her scent and felt the burning disappear completely, like always. It couldn't be coincidence that the girl they all would love on different levels, would make their thirst disappear into non-existence. She was the only human that could be this safe in the proximity of several vampires.

'Do you feel like going to our house this afternoon, Bella?' Alice asked.

Edward was beyond grateful for that. Tomorrow morning they would have to leave and he wanted to spend as much time in her company as he could.

'Yes, sure.' She watched Edward's face, as if she was wondering he was okay with that, so he smiled reassuringly to her. She smiled back and he needed to control his breathing. Alice was not oblivious to the exchange.

_It is about time. _She winked to Edward.

The time he spent with her that afternoon was not nearly enough, but it was great. She was great and every moment he spent with her was a confirmation of this fact. When Alice had, not very subtly, left them alone, Bella stared at him again, breathless. He didn't break his gaze with her until she averted her eyes, blushing. It was an incredible sight.

'You should not do that, you know. It isn't fair?'

He didn't understand.

'What do you mean?' He asked concerned.

'Dazzle people like that.'

He was shocked beyond words.

'I dazzle you?' His voice was strained with desire for this to be true.

'All the time.' She answered and she blushed again.

The new flow of happiness was making him speechless. He dazzled her. It took a moment for him to respond.

'Well, you dazzle me too, so we are even.'

Her eyebrows went up again, but she made no comment. Did she believe him? Maybe he should tell her how much he loved her. No, better not scare her, now that he was finally getting closer to her. He kept the conversation casual from that moment and asked her about her youth and her mother. She was telling her stories amiably and he absorbed everything. Each detail of her life, even the seemingly insignificant ones, made his interest bigger. He wanted to know more and more. It was like a never-ending circle. He would never get enough of her. Too soon she sighed and told him she should get home. He saw her unwillingness and it made him happy. He offered to give her a ride and she gladly took it. He went to get her coat and saw that she was slightly embarrassed when he helped her in it. Maybe she was not used to being treated like a lady. That was going to change soon. She said goodbye to Alice and the others and left with him.

He rode extremely slow, especially for him, to prolong his time with her and she didn't seem to mind one bit. She peeked at him a lot, while she finished a story about her mother and Phil, her new husband. When he stopped in front of her house, he could feel a strange electricity between them. It took him awhile to understand. It was the immense attraction between them that brought on the electricity. He yearned to touch her, to grab her hand, to kiss her lips and to let his hands slide through her hair. Her scent was thick in the air and it made his head light, like a drug. His self-control was wavering. Bella had stopped talking and he heard her heartbeat accelerate. It made his desire for her stronger. He took a deep breathe.

'I think you should leave the car now, Bella.' His voice was hoarse.

She obeyed immediately and opened the door. As soon as she was out the electricity was gone and he could feel his sense return to him. It was better that she left, but the moment she waved goodbye and went inside he was in agony again. The thought that he wasn't going to see her in three days made him frantic. He just couldn't leave. She told him that she made plans with Angela to go shopping in Port Angelus this weekend and he flinched with what could happen to her in that town. What if she got hit by a car? What if someone meant her harm? What if she was struck by lightning? He was losing his mind, he knew that, but he couldn't help it. Humans were just too easily hurt and he could invent many dangers for the girl that was now essential for his survival. How true that was. He couldn't live without her anymore. He drove home and Alice waited for him.

_You have to go. Here I will show you that she is safe this weekend._

He saw the visions of Bella reading books at home and talking to her father. Then he saw her have fun with Angela and Jessica, who had apparently joined them. They ate together and after that went home safely. Alice was right, nothing was going to happen to her, he should leave.

'Fine, but I am leaving on Sunday instead of Monday.'

It was the best compromise he could give her.

'Okay, I will come with you. You are not the only one who is concerned about her and who is going to miss her.'

He nodded and ruffled her hair. He truly loved Alice immensely.


	2. Chapter 2

After everything the hunting trip was still immensely difficult to him. Every second he could see Bella's face in his mind and every second he missed her more. It didn't help that Alice was thinking of her a lot too. Even Emmett sometimes thought about his 'little one'. It took forever and he simply couldn't stand it anymore.

'I am leaving.' He told Alice. 'You can stay if you want.'

It was early Sunday morning, but it was almost an eight hour drive to get to Port Angelus from where they were. They had gone quite out of their way to hit some excess of bears close to the Canadian border.

'I am going with you. I have a bad feeling.'

She scanned Bella's future again but saw no change.

'It is probably nothing, but let's go.'

A few hours later they were finally back in state and Edward felt better. He was less restless now that he was at least moving in her direction. Only two three more hours and he would be close to her again. It was around four and it would take three hours for the sun to go down, so until than he couldn't leave the car anyway. He hadn't paid much attention to Alice, who was mostly focused on Jasper and her own thoughts, until she suddenly was thinking of him.

_So what made you change your mind about her?_

Edward sighed.

'I didn't change my mind; I just wasn't strong enough to stay away from her. I am weak.'

_No, you are not._

'Maybe, but strong or weak it wasn't enough.'

Alice remembered something, but she quickly turned her thoughts on translating a song into Arabic. She did that when she didn't want him to know something.

'What are you hiding from me?' He asked annoyed.

'A private conversation I had with Bella. It is so hard to keep those things from my mind, but I can't break her trust.' She said aloud, keeping her thoughts on translating.

'Sorry. I will try to focus on something else for a moment.'

Alice breathed relieved.

'Thanks.'

She was silent again for a while until they were closing in on Port Angelus. Edward wasn't focused on her thoughts, so he didn't understand her sudden shock.

'NO!' She almost screamed.

* * *

A few hours earlier Bella was walking on the streets of Port Angelus with her friends. Angela and Jessica were both kind to her, but she still felt like she didn't belong, like it was not the right place for her. The girls were fitting like a hundred different dresses and Bella had lost her interest after three, so it was hard to bring up the right level of enthusiasm. This trip was tiring her. After another store with dresses, Bella finally built up the courage to get out. She had seen a bookstore a few streets back and would enjoy some quiet time with some books.

'Do you mind if I skip this dress store and go to the book store I saw a while ago?'

Jessica gave her a stare as if she was crazy or from a different planet, but Angela just smiled.

'Of course not, Bella. Do you want us to join you?'

Angela was such a sweet girl. Jessica now looked at Angela as if she was crazy.

'No, I'm fine really. I can be quite boring when I am in a bookstore. You two have fun and I meet up with you later, okay?'

They nodded and said goodbye. Bella walked away. She felt free for the first time that day. She sang softly while she walked the streets, searching for the bookstore. She found it easily. She walked in with an enthusiastic smile and scanned the store. It was great, just the store she was looking for. It had many classics. She was drooling over them before she knew it and the sales clerk gave her an appreciating smile, knowing she was a customer that actually deserved his attention.

'Can I help you with something miss?'

The man was elderly and Bella would bet a lot on guessing that this man was the owner of the store. His proud and caring look when he watched his collection made her certain. It didn't take long at all before Bella was lost in interesting conversations with the man and forgot the time completely.

* * *

'Bella is gone a long time now.'

Jessica looked into Angela's worried face and didn't understand the draw Bella had on her and so many others. She shrugged. Sure, she was beautiful, but socially she was not so bright. She hung out with the wrong crowds and she was so silent. Jessica watched herself in the mirror, looking at her new accessories. The necklace accentuated her cleavage just right. She sighed. She didn't have enough money to buy everything. They were standing close to the open window of the store and some drunken guys walked past, knocking on the window and giving them gross looks.

'Eew!' Jessica flinched seeing their lustful looks.

'Let's get away from the window.' Angela said and her voice held disgust and fear.

They walked away from the window and Angela frowned.

'I really think we should go look for Bella.'

Maybe that was the best idea now. It was getting late and Jessica was very hungry. She hoped they would find Bella soon.

'Fine.' She agreed. 'Let me buy this and then we can go.'

A few minutes later, they walked out of the store. It was getting darker by the minute now that the sun had set. Jessica felt ill at ease, but she didn't understand why. They walked around looking for a bookstore, but there was no trace of it or Bella. Jessica was getting enough of it fast and she tried to persuade Angela to go to the restaurant. They walked in a dark alley, where there was nothing but a bar. The same drunken men from the store where hanging out in this alley and Jessica felt fear rip through her. She clutched Angela's arm and pulled her around. They had to get out of there right now. A hard push flew her back a few feet and threw Angela against her. She looked up and saw another guy cutting off their only way of escape.

'Where are you going, ladies?' His voice was full of eager desire and Jessica cringed.

They were surrounding them and their laughter and teasing insults was all she could hear. Jessica looked into Angela's frightened face and was ready to scream, when a clear voice stopped her.

'Leave them alone!'

* * *

Edward raced towards Port Angelus. He had never pushed his gas pedal this far. He was searching for the minds of the lowlifes he had seen in Alice's vision. He raced through every red light he encountered, hearing the hunks of startled cars follow him behind. He didn't care. He found one of the minds he was looking for and it was the worst one. Edward recognized this mind. It was full of desires no man should have. He was a predator and he had hunted innocent girls before.

_'I said leave them alone.'_

Bella's face was in the man's mind and he was marveling.

_My, my, what do we have here? This one is stunning. It must be my lucky day to have caught this beauty in my net. I am going to have so much fun with this one._

Edward was growling so hard, Alice had covered her ears.

'Focus, Edward!' She yelled. 'We need to find her fast.'

'I am going to rip him apart piece by piece, until there is nothing left. No painful death is painful enough for him.' Edward was so angry he nearly choked on the words.

'We only have seconds left. She is going to fight him and he is going to hurt her.' Alice yelled back at him.

Edward saw it in Bella's face while she stood in front of her predator without moving, there was no fear in her eyes.

_'Angela, Jess, run!'_

She spoke the words with urgency. Angela hesitated, but Jessica pulled her arm and dragged her away.

_Yes, run, I don't care. This one is so much better than the other two. And brave, look at her face. She thinks she can fight me off. Oh, this is just too good to be true._

He walked towards her and Edward saw Bella brace herself. She _was_ going to fight him, just as Alice had seen. She sacrificed herself, so that her two friends were safe from this destiny. She was an angel, she was just too good to deserve this fate. He rounded the corner. He was so close now. They were going to make it and he was going to torture and kill the lowlife that had threatened his Bella.

_'Do not come near me.' _Edward saw fear in her eyes now and he growled some more.

_'Don't be like that, sweetie.'_

Edward trembled out of anger, hearing the nickname Alice used for her in affection, spoken by the lowlife in taunting lust.

Edward pushed his brakes fully and came to a squeaking stop right in front of the alley. He was out of the car in milliseconds and Alice was close behind him. The men all turned towards them with frightened eyes.

_Oh damn, she is not alone._

_I knew this was a bad idea._

_Who are these freaks?_

The men Edward wanted to crush and kill were suddenly out of his mind when Bella ran towards them with the most trusting look he had ever seen. She ran into Alice's open arms and Edward could not leave her. She was his first priority and she was more important than his revenge. Alice held her tight and pulled her into the car with her. Edward needed to drive away, needed to make sure she would be far away from this place. He gave one last threatening growl to the men and jumped into his car. Alice was in the back seat with Bella and she was still holding her tightly.

'Thank God, you are alright Bella. You have no idea how scared we were for you.'

Alice caressed her hair. 'Don't ever do that to us again.'

Bella was silent, her eyes opened wide. Was she in shock? Alice figured the same thing and watched Bella intently.

'Are you okay, sweetie?'

'I'm fine.' Her voice was filled with the lingering stress. 'We need to make sure Jessica and Angela are okay.'

Typical Bella to be more worried about them than herself. He sighed. What was he going to do with her? Alice concentrated and he could see with her that Jessica and Angela were in their car driving home. They had called the police and although they were stressed, they seemed to be alright.

'They are safe.' Alice said reassuringly.

'How do you know?' Bella asked. 'And when we are on this subject, how did you know I was in trouble and needed help?'

Edward gritted his teeth. They had kept the truth from her for a long time, but he knew it couldn't be long now. He had feared this moment more than he was willing to admit. He wasn't the only one.

_We have to tell her something. I wished we didn't have to do this. What if she doesn't want to be my friend anymore after she knows? Who would want to hang out with bloodsucking monsters?_

Alice was shaking her head.

_No, what am I thinking. This is Bella. She will accept us as if we are angels instead of monsters. Bella would never respond in the way I fear. She loves me._

Edward wished he could believe this so easily. Normal humans ran away from them screaming. Why would Bella be any different? Bella was different of course, she was much more perfect than any other human, but this reaction was something even perfect humans should have.

'Thank you for saving me.' She whispered softly, kissing Alice's cheek.

Alice checked the future to see how Bella would respond to the truth, but it was hazy. Maybe it was because they hadn't fully decided to tell her.

_She should be in shock, but she seems calm._

Edward was very worried about her.

'We should take her somewhere to eat, get some sugar in her.' He whispered so low Bella couldn't hear.

'I know I have never questioned you before, Alice, but I just can't ignore this anymore. Please, tell me what is going on.'

_We have to tell her. She is right._

He stopped near an Italian restaurant and opened his door.

'Where are you going?' Bella asked.

'We are taking you to diner. I will feel better once you have some sugar in you.'

Alice pulled her out of the car and Edward watched her with concern. She walked steady and the color was returning in her face. She really seemed fine. How could that be? Normal humans would be at least very stressed out. Either way he wasn't going to take chances with Bella. He was going to watch her eat and drink until he was a hundred percent sure she was fine. In his heart he knew he had a different reason for keeping Bella beside him. Now more than ever he couldn't stand to have her out of his sight. The dangers in the human world were too real to ignore and tonight proved that. Her company was also something that enthralled him and every second he could spend beside her was like heaven. They walked inside the restaurant and the hostess came to meet them.

_Oh my. Look at that._

She eyed him vulgarly and her mouth fell open. Edward ignored her. Her eyes went from his face to his companions.

_Damn, two girls and both of them beautiful, especially the brunette. Never saw such a beautiful girl, but maybe she is his cousin. Yes, she doesn't look at him as a girlfriend._

Edward could just suppress his snarl. He didn't like that at all. He wanted Bella to look at him as if he was more. He scowled at his selfishness. He should be glad Bella didn't have feelings for him.

'Table for three, please.' He said with suppressed anger.

'Sure, follow me.'

_Hmm, the small girl doesn't seem to be his girlfriend either, but better not take any chances._

She stopped in the middle of the restaurant, pointing them to a table, surrounded by people. Edward sighed. This was probably not a good idea, knowing what they would be talking about this evening. He pulled out some money from his back pocket.

'Maybe somewhere more private?' He asked giving her the bill.

_He needs privacy with two beautiful girls, this can't be good. Oh well, too bad._

Edward was glad she had apparently given up on trying to charm him and didn't give her a second glance. He was looking at Bella and was checking every move she made. She still seemed fine. They arrived at a table in the back and Edward sat down opposite of Bella, his eyes never leaving her face.

* * *

Alice sat down next to Bella and took her hand. She checked the future of Angela and Jessica again to see that they were going to arrive home safely in just a few minutes. They were both crying, probably out of guilt and worry over Bella.

'You should call Jessica and Angela to let them know you are alright. They are very worried about you.'

Bella nodded.

'I don't have a cell phone.'

Of course, how stupid of her. She reached for her own cell phone and handed it over. Bella took it and called the number.

'Angela hi.' Alice could hear Angela's worried voice ask if she was alright. 'I am fine, you don't have to worry. I escaped and they did not hurt me.'

Alice smiled at the fact that Bella dodged telling about their mysterious appearance completely, proving again that they could trust her.

'I am using someone's cell phone so I can't talk long now, but you really don't have to worry.' Angela answered with a relieved voice. 'I talk to you tomorrow.'

Bella shut down the phone and gave it back.

'That gives me more time to come up with a believable story. You could help, you know.'

Bella half smiled to them and Alice smiled back. Edward was silent, staring at Bella and Alice could understand what he was thinking. They had to come up with a story of their own and he was probably wondering how much they should tell her. She glanced up to him and saw his slight nod in her direction. The waitress came, asking for their order. Bella was the only one who ate, but it would be very strange if Edward and Alice both didn't order anything, so she ordered a soda, just like Edward. Bella ordered the mushroom ravioli. The waitress stared at Edward for a moment, but he wasn't paying attention to her. He was staring at Bella and that didn't went passed the notice of the waitress. She gave an irritated look and walked away. Alice couldn't help to chuckle.

'So..' Bella hesitated and looked at them with expectations.

Alice sighed deeply.

'You once asked me if I had a gift, Bella and I said yes.'

Bella gave her a reassuring look and nodded.

'I can see the future, that's how I knew you were in trouble.'

Bella's eyes went open in shock.

'You can see the future?'

Alice wanted to let go of her hand just in case Bella needed some distance but she grabbed it tighter.

'That is so cool.' She gave Alice a bright smile.

The things Alice felt now were beyond relief, she was happy. She had been right, Bella would accept her, even if she knew the whole truth.

'Does seeing the future have anything to do with you not being human?'

Bella was a bright girl and this conclusion was obvious. Alice hesitated while looking at Edward. He seemed to be unable to make a decision. Alice looked again at her best friend and knew she couldn't lie.

'Yes.' She said softly.

Bella nodded again.

'But why were you around me? You were supposed to be hiking some place far. Were you following me?'

This was the question Edward feared, Alice knew that. What was he going to say? That he couldn't stay away from her. Alice decided to help him.

'I had a bad feeling and asked Edward to come with me, to look for you.'

It was the truth, although not completely. Bella swallowed this reason and smiled.

'Well I am glad you did. Thank you both.'

She reached out her hand to grab Edward's and Alice braced herself. She didn't know how he was going to react. Bella had never touched him before. Alice was expecting him to withdraw, but was surprised when he did not. Bella laid her hand over his and Edward looked at it with a curious expression. Alice knew how Bella's touch felt. It was warm and soft, but she didn't know how it would feel for Edward who was so clearly head over heels in love with her. Bella held his hand until Edward withdrew and pulled it under the table. His expression was pained. Oh, did he ever learn? He could he be so stubborn? It was almost too much to see him struggle like this. Alice wanted to hammer it in his stupid head. Edward gave her an annoyed look, reading her mind of course and Alice sighed. Stupid brother.

Bella was not angry by his withdrawal, she even smiled at him.

'So do you have a gift too?'

Her trustful look was too much, most certainly for Edward. What harm could it do to tell her?

'I can read minds.'

For the second time that evening, Bella's eyes flew open. She hesitated when she processed the information and suddenly a blush caressed her beautiful cheeks. Alice saw Edward's confused look. Alice understood exactly why Bella was blushing, but she kept the answer from her mind to make sure Edward would not know. She had promised.

'I can read every mind in this room, apart for yours.' Edward said, annoyance slipped in his voice.


End file.
